Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anserinae
Tribe: Cereopsini
Genus: Cereopsis
Species: C. novaehollandiae
Binomial name: Cereopsis novaehollandiae
Common name: Cape Barren goose
Cereopsis novaehollandiae is a threatened species in its native Australia. They are one of the rarest of the world's geese. They are a thickset goose (up to 7 kg in weight) with uniformly grey plumage bearing rounded black spots. The tail feathers are blackish and their legs are pink/red with black feet. Their bill is short, black, and decurved and is but mostly covered with greenish-yellow skin (cere). This bird feeds by grazing and the rarely swims.
It was reported by the NZ Wildlife Service (Williams 1964) that the rare Cape Barren Goose was introduced by man in 1869, 1871, 1912 and 1914 but in the past, it also reached this country unaided by being carried over the 1300 miles from Australia by the prevailing westerly or north-westerly weather systems. It is now kept in limited numbers in New Zealand.
Photographed at Mata Kapae Lagoon, Parnassus Road. South Island.
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